Helen Balusik: Dec. 20, 1928 Phillips, Wis & Christmas cards

Dear Friends,
It's Friday once again. My week was uneventful. But that can't said for other places. There was a shooting over Wausau way. Four people were killed. I'm not sure about all the details but it was a domestic disturbance gone way wrong. The suspect is alive and in police custody. But four innocent people are gone for reasons that are not fair. One was a police officer responding to the scene.Even though I do not know any of the people involved, they are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Enough of that. Here is the next letter and Christmas card from Helen:

  As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                 Phillips, Wis
                Dec. 19-28
Dear Howard:-
   Many thanks for
the nice box of candy
you send me. Surely
was sweet of you
May God bless you
in return.
Every time I take
one I will think of
you.
Nice and cold these
days, isn't it?
It sure is a busy
week going to nothing
but programs.
Christmas surely is
an exciting season

isn't it- I always am
glad when its over
with.
Well Howard, I hope
Santa is real good
to you he usually is
good to me.
Hope you have
the best Xmas you
ever have had.
      Lovingly
       Helen

Here is the Christmas card she included:

I like these old cards. To me they are more appealing then what is offered today.

Here is a second card:

No idea who sent this one. It was unsigned but the post mark on the envelope was post marked Milwaukee Dec. 18, 1928. The card itself was made in Germany.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

High water or low, Saturday night still was bathing time and young flood refugees at Johnstown, Pa., had their baths as usual. This bathroom was improvised from blankets and the tubs were anything that would hold a youngster and water. The job may have been difficult, but Johnstown was spotless Sunday. - A.P. Wirephoto.

You must stay clean even in the middle of a flood.

Here is a page from the joke book:

Something to tickle your funny bone.

And here is a random picture for you to look at:

The one standing next to the car is Grandma. Not sure what year this was taken.

Well that's about all I have to share with you today.
Enjoy your weekend.
And I hope you will come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Mabel Elmblade: Dec. 12, 1928 La Grange Ill.

Dear Friends,
Well Spring has finally sprung. Or has it? There is no snow on the ground here right now, so I guess that is one sign spring could be starting. I'm so looking forward to it getting warmer and things to green up. Then I can start my next new adventure. Hiking the Ice Age Trail.Well right now it will be only done on weekends, weather permitting of course.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Mabel:

As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

La Grange, Dec. 12-1928
Dearest Howard,
I received your most welcome
letter. Glad to hear from
you. also surprised. I am
fine. thinking of you. We
have nice weather. little
snow. Yes its Xmas soon.
I was over to see Lillian and
Alice is working in Evanston
yet. say Howard I often
wonder and think if you
could really love me if you
saw me. well seeing you
can't get away to come up
here I will try and come
out there. I am going to
get a job and I will try
and come up in the spring
if gods willing. My Bro Carl
has been hunting quite a
bit. he works at the
suburban Ice co. he has
a steady job.I will send you
a Xmas present. well dear
Howard I haven't more to
write this time. so Bye Bye
               Your Loving
               Friend
                   Mabel
                       E.
Write soon.
xxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx

Not a whole lot here. It is getting close to Christmas.
I wonder what kind of job she was able to get if one at all.
Was ever able to come and visit Grandpa?
I wonder what her brother did at Suburban Ice Co.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

Mary, Martha and Margaret Servi, triplets born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Servi in their two-room
Langlade county farmhouse Nov. 7, will go home when warm weather arrives. They have been
at the Langlade County Memorial hospital since Nov. 11. An addition to the home will make it more
comfortable for the babies and their eight brothers and sisters.- Kingsbury Photo.

All I can say is that must have been a very crowded place to grow up. I wonder how big the addition was?

Here is a the next page from the joke book:

This is the second page of the radio show presenting Olsen and Johnson.
Plus a couple of other jokes.

Here is a random picture for you to look at:

This is Topsy. Now this is putting your dog on a pedestal.

Well that's about all I have to share with you today.
I hope you will come back again real soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your Friend,
Sandy

Harriet: Dec. 11, 1928 Chicago, Ill.

Dear Friends,
Well, It's Friday, finally. It was a long boring week for me. Work was very uneventful for me. Which is not a bad thing. I just didn't have a lot to do most days. The only excitement I had was that Tuesday after I post the last post the internet went down. Not just for me but a very big area. I'm not sure when it came back on that night but I did notice that the light was lite on my box the next morning while I was getting ready for work.That was the extent of my excitement this week.
Anyway here is the next letter from Harriet.

   I'm not sure if this letter was put in the wrong envelope at some point or it didn't get in the mail until Dec. 11th.
As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                     Chicago Ill
                    Nov. 26 1928
Dearest Sweetheart of Mine,
Received your darling letter
and sure made me happy to
hear from my sweetie again.
well what kind of weather
are you having up at Ogema
It has been quite cold here lately.
Cold enough for me if i have
to say something about it.
Wish I was in California now
for the winter or we rather.
That's more like it.
Are there any excitement up
around there. Suppose soon you
will be going to the programs.
wish I was going with you.
As i sure remember some of
the good times I had up there
around that time.
I went down town Sat.
and bought myself a coat
Has a big fox collar & cuffs, It's a

                _2_
knock out. Wish you could see it
Gee only a few more weeks and
Christmas is here. How time flies eh
Won't be long now until i will
be back in Ogema with you honey
Won't that be swell.
Where are you going Thanksgiving
Don't know where I am going. Have
tickets for a ball game so may
go and may not. in the evening
we might take in show or dance
one or the two.
So Catherine & Johnnie are old still
going together. Ain't love grand. ha! ha!
It must be eh= So they say.
well sweetheart I haven't any news
that I can think of at present. May
have in I saw you in person.
So will close with loads of (love & Kisses)
                   To My only sweetheart
                         From
                     Your Darling
                       Harriet
Answer
immediately
               (SWMK)

I wonder if it was just put in the wrong envelope but I'm thinking it was.
Not much here.
I wonder if they did hook up at any point.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

The Munising (Mich.) Development club is completing its new slide and will hold its tour-
nament Sunday. Here is the tricky method used in erecting the slide. The horses in the fore-
ground pulled the rope which was attached to a toboggan. The toboggan was loaded with lumber for
the slide and pulled to the summit of the hill.

I wonder what it looked like once it was done.
I hope everyone had fun that day.

Here is a page from the joke book:

This is the first part of a bit that was done on the radio. I'll post the second part next time.

Here is a random picture:

All loaded up and ready to go!

Well that's about all I have to share with you today.
I hope you will come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your Friend,
Sandy

Helen Balusik: Dec. 11, 1928 Phillips, Wis

Dear Friends,
I hope everyone had a good weekend. Mine was quiet and uneventful as usual. Of course Mother Nature keeps doing her best to keep winter around as long as possible.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Helen:

As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

             Phillips, Wis.
             Monday eve.
Dear Howard:-
  Yours was received
some time ago but
I have been rather up
set here lately- My sister
was home during the
past week and busy
packing the childrens
things to go back to
the city. So while she was
here we did a lot of
visiting for she wanted
to see as many of her
friends as she could
while she was here. They left
Saturday night- I sure
seems dead around

here now- Especially when the
children are gone for they made
all the noise.
There has been a lot of accidents
around here during hunting
season. My brother was almost
shot. His boss was shot in
the arm perhaps you have
read about it. So now they
all have to go to the court-
and see what will be done.
Last night I was to a party
here at our neighbors place.
Had a pretty good time but
could be better-(Ha Ha)
Well Howard, you asked me
what nite could be the best to
come down- Saturday would be
better then Sunday - if I knew
just when you would come
I would plan to be home then
because I usually am gone skating
or somewhere most of the time.
Wasn't today one grand day
tho? doesn't seem like the
month of December at all- But
I suppose we get our share
of winter after New Year.
Pa is getting ready to go to bed.

I feel sort of sleepy myself-
Wish I had your radio here
Now to waken me up a little-
well Howard, this letter is
short but I can't seem to have
any more news. Will make
up for it next time, is that
alright with you?
I can imagine how bashful
we will be when we are to meet
Can't you (Ha Ha)
   Hoping to hear from
you again
    Lovingly Helen

Here is a clipping of the shooting she was talking about:

 Some things never change when it come to hunting. Some people become so disrespectful to others and where they live, they think they can do whatever they want to whenever they want.
I wonder how everything worked out.

It sounds like they were having a kind of warmer weather around here at that time.
I wonder how much longer it was before the two of them were able to get together.


Here is a picture from the scrap book:

Scenes similar to this one, taken on N. Sherman blvd., just north of W. Roosevelt drive, are common on the northwest side of Milwaukee. Ald. William Esser of the twenty-sixth ward, which comprises the far northwest side, reports that not an alley has been plowed and that many streets are closed due to drifting.

We had gotten an inch or two around here right now but I think East they were suppose to really get hit.

Here is a page from the joke book:

Enjoy this page.

Here is a random picture for you to look at:

It could be Grandpa but I'm not sure what year this was taken.

Well that's all I have to share with you today.
I hope you will come back again real soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Harriet: Dec. 9, 1928 Chicago, Ill.

Dearest Friends,
It's the end of yet another week. Boy was it windy around here for a few days. One night when it was raining and the wind blowing it kind of sounded like my house was going through a car wash. I am surprised that there were not more trees down then there was. At least the lights never went out here but other places were not so lucky.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Harriet:

As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                  Chicago Ill
                   Friday Eve.
Dearest Sweetheart of mine
  Sure was glad to receive
your loving letter the other
day. Am always glad to
get letters from you (honney)
How's the world treating
you now days anyway
It's treating me fairly good
only thing it is getting
a little to cold to suit me
Suppose it's the same
up there eh?
it snowed yesterday the
first snowfall so looked
like Christmas especially
to me--

                 -2-
Margret is going up home
for Christmas. Wish I could do
so to. But could only stay for a
few days so would only make
me more lonesome than ever
for you sweetheart-
A few of us girls went to a dance
last night (Ladies Choice) Did
we have a good time. and
who did we see but Candorsey
Soderbeck. Oh boy was she loud
We sure got a good kick out
of her.
We may go to a Swedish dance
to-morrow night (that's maybe)
So Catherine & Johnnie comes to
see you quite often don't they
Suppose it won't be long
now ha! ha!
Was surprised to hear that
Lillian Carlson is married. but
guess there was reasons ha!
No Walter hasn't called me
for a while. Did you hear
from him lately
Is Luella still going with Harold
Peterson or is it all off.--

If this letter isn't up to standard don't
blame me as they have the radio a going
and some peppy music and how
so am writing and listening to the radio
the same time--
Well sweetheart there isn't any
news whats so ever so guess I
might as well sign off this hum
broadcasting station for this time.
Heaps & heaps of (love & kisses)
                 Your till
               Niagara Falls
                      Harriet
Answer at once
 (SWMK)xxxxxxxx

  I think I got that one name wrong or at least I think I did. But I do wonder who this person was. Was she famous or just someone they knew? I doubt I'll ever find out.
Still no word from Walter, poor girl. But I don't think she was that worried about hearing from him.
I wonder what a Swedish dance was like.
I like the way she signed off. I don't know if I've ever heard of doing that before or not.
I guess she can't multi task. Listening to music must have been kind of distracting for her at that time.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

 This mass of twisted iron and steel is the remains of two engines, pulling 60 cars, which Monday
crashed head-on into a stalled freight train near Jordan, Minn. Four members of the train crew
were killed.- A.P. Wirephoto.

That looks like one big mess.

Here is a page from the joke book:

Enjoy jokes from 1940.

And here is a random picture:

This one is very dark. I've lightened it the best I could. I think they might be thrashing but I'm not 100%  sure.

Well that's about all I have to share with you today.
Enjoy your weekend.
I hope you will drop by again real soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Mabel Elmblade: Dec. 3, 1928 Congress Park Ill.

Dear Friends,
Well, I had a good weekend. Our play went very well. All that saw it enjoyed it very much. Now I have to find other things to keep myself busy again now that I have nowhere to go at night.
Anyway, I wasn't sure at first if I should show this but then I thought, why not. So here are two kind of Sunday School papers sent from Mabel:

This is one paper.

This is the second one.

If you can zoom in on the different stories and poems.
It was a weekly paper that was published by "The Swedish Ev. Mission Covenant of America.
These papers are in good condition. They were kept in the envelope since 1928.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

Mrs. George Taylor, whose farm home is three miles east
of Waupun, brewed 10 gallons of coffee during the 36 hours
the bus passengers were her guests. Mine host, Mr. Taylor is
shown in the other pictures as he said goodbye to Evelyn Frish of
Madison.- Journal Staff Photos.

Would you take care of a bus load of strangers if something like that happened by your house?
Would many people do something like that today?


Here is a random picture for you to look at:

There is a good chance that this is Grandpa. No idea what year it was taken.

Well that's about all I have to share with you today.
Remember if you can try to read the different stories and poems from the papers. I enjoyed them very much.
I hope you will come back again real soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Cousin Walter Walin: Nov. 28, 1928 Chicago, Ill.

Dear Friends,
I hope you had a good week. Mine was good. I was on vacation all week because of the play. it has been a lot of fun.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Walter:

As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                   11/28/28
Friend Howard:
Received your letter some
time ago and will try & get in a
few minutes now to answer it.
        I hear you are
having winter weather up there.
It's not so bad here yet. I'm
still wearing B.V.D's and sometimes
only a light coat. It's raining a
little today.
Haven't seen much of
your girl friend. I only took her
out once but called her up several
times. She always seems to be
so busy altho she says she has
no boy friend but that's a lot of
bunk I guess. I really didn't
try very hard to take her out
again as I've my own friends
to go out with and haven't a

great deal of time. I sure do
kid her along when I call. The
last time I called her was a
month ago.
       Pa, seems to like it
pretty well up there and I'm
glad of that.
Did you do any
hunting this fall? When it gets
a bit colder I'll be going out
for rabbits. They are pretty scarce
around here. We generally go
about 100 miles or so from here.
        Well Howard, I must
start to work now. Will get all
the dope about Harriet I can and
don't worry I won't say any thing
to her about it. Don't you say
anything either.
                   Your cousin
                    Walter

Well the weather at time time sounds like it was warm around Chicago. I wonder how much snow they got that year?
I wonder if he was able to go rabbit hunting and if he did how many did he get?
It sounds that from his point Harriet was not the one for him so he was just going to kind of string her along.
I wonder how long that lasted?

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

Sawing and blasting have cut this channel in the ice of the Milwaukee river north of the Lincoln park bridge.
It is hoped that such channels will carry off expected flood waters. A dynamite blast can be seen in the background.

I wonder how much dynamite the used that people were standing so close to the blast. Kind of scary to me.

Here is a page from the joke book:

Have fun reading it.

Here is a random picture:

No idea when this was taken or who is in the picture.
I did my best to lighten it up a bit. The original is a bit darker.

Well that's about all I have to share with you today.
I hope you have a good weekend and if you find yourself my area tonight or Saturday night and want live entertainment come and see our production of "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike". Last night was our opening night and it was a good one.
I hope you will drop by again real soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy